


butterflies, posters, a small shop going out of business

by enkelimagnus



Series: Tumblr Prompts [5]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Bittersweet, Gen, Magnus Bane & Ragnor Fell Friendship, prompt request
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-04
Updated: 2018-09-04
Packaged: 2019-07-06 21:48:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15894789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enkelimagnus/pseuds/enkelimagnus
Summary: Prompt request: 10) butterflies, posters, a small shop going out of business with Ragnor and Magnus by @some-thrilling-heroics on tumblr





	butterflies, posters, a small shop going out of business

“It’s the end of an era.”

Magnus stood on a stool in the middle of the small, wooden-floored and forest-green-walled shop that he’d frequented way too often in the last few years. He’d definitely miss this, the homey feeling of the store, and how Ragnor - the owner and one of Magnus’ best friend - always had warm mugs of coffee in the back, for his favorite customers.

They had started like this. Magnus walking in one day, and starting to go through all the books and records, and trinkets. All the teapots, and tarot decks, the stones and the jewelry in small ornate boxes, balanced precariously on the spines of old books.

After a couple of months, of Magnus coming to chat and buy some things he didn’t need, but wanted, they had become friends. Ragnor was older, and British, and wry and dry in a way that was so typically him.

This shop was a part of Magnus’ life, and a part of Ragnor’s being.

Magnus looked away from the poster he was trying to take off of the wall, and looked at the older man. He’d been carefully packing away the last of the mounted butterflies that had not been bought in his recent “everything must go” sale. He looked serene, in the yellow light of the old lamp, the bubble wrap tight around the glass. 

This particular butterfly had always been one of Magnus’ favorite. It was far from perfect, a slightly crooked and stained Morpho eugenia uraneis. Magnus stopped what he was doing.

“Hey, don’t pack this one. I’ve always wanted to buy it.”

Ragnor looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. “You can just take it home. The register isn’t open anymore.”

There was a bit of pain in his voice. The shop was just not making enough money anymore. Now that major stores sold low quality non-authentic versions of what Ragnor sold… Magnus wished he’d been able to do more.

He finished taking off and rolling up the last poster. It was something from an art exhibit they’d been to, a couple years before. He wrapped an elastic around the middle to keep it rolled up. Ragnor had put all the butterflies, and more fragile items in a box, and closed it.

“It is the end of an era.” Magnus finally replied, as he walked over to his friend. “But many good things are waiting for you. You’re teaching in this… boarding school.”

Ragnor huffed. “Gonna teach history to a bunch of snotty rich kids, it’s not the career I’d thought I’d have.”

“Well, life works in mysterious ways. The shop had its time. It was amazing while it lasted. And come on, you’re going to be in… some remote corner of the French Alps, teaching British, French and Swiss kids that the world existed before they were born.” Magnus pointed out. “Your salty ass is going to adore it.”

Ragnor had a small smile and shook his head. “You know me way too well, Magnus.” He turned and walked towards the back room again, looking at the empty space. The black and green tiles of the floor in that room looked naked, without the things that usually littered them.

Magnus sat down on one of the chairs, and Ragnor turned to the coffee machine, pouring them two mugs of burning hot coffee. He added milk and sugar the way Magnus and him took it.

“I’m going to miss this place.” Ragnor muttered once he was sitting down on the other chair.

“Of course.” Magnus replied. “And it’s going to miss you too. Hell, i’m going to miss you.”

Ragnor chuckled. “Don’t get sentimental on me, Magnus Bane.”

They laughed a little, and sipped their coffee. They both knew they meant every word of what they had just said. Magnus would miss Ragnor, now that he would live on the other side of the world. Ragnor would miss him too, even if they didn’t say it. He would miss the small shop and it’s homey feeling.

“You don’t have to pay for the butterfly, really.” Ragnor added. “I know you’ve always liked this one. It’s very you. All… chrome-colored and a bit crooked.”

Magnus shook his head. “This place is… You and this place, you’ve helped me through a lot. And though I will miss it dearly… it’s going to be a new chapter in both our lives.”

“And that’s what matters. Not letting ourselves live in the past.” Ragnor muttered, and Magnus nodded. They exchanged a look.

“It’s going to be good.”


End file.
